Academic Methods

The Senior Executive Program New York-Miami is designed to promote intensive interaction among participants and with IESE faculty. Class sessions include lectures and group discussions that draw on the expertise and opinions of faculty and peers. Complementing class sessions are small-group discussions and team activities. In addition, guest speakers — CEOs representing diverse sectors from all over the world — address topics relevant to the program.

Central to the program’s dynamic learning experience is the case study method. Through this approach, you analyze business scenarios individually and in assigned study groups. These small groups mix high-caliber professionals from diverse backgrounds to generate an energetic and fruitful exchange of ideas. The give-and-take of often contrasting viewpoints strengthens listening and persuasion skills essential for corporate leadership. Defending your recommendations to the rest of the class and the professor is the final stage of this process.

After-class activities give you the chance to get to know other participants, faculty and staff in an informal, relaxed setting. In addition to purely social events, program organizers often incorporate teamwork into the activities they plan. Some involve food, like “cooking night” or a wine-tasting. Or music, like “jazz night.” Or sports, like “bowling night.”

The SEP New York-Miami offers immersion in real-life business situations with tasks that demand in-depth analyses and virtual high-stakes decisions. IESE’s intensive approach challenges you to reconsider both how your company operates internally and the complex and volatile external market in which you compete. This dual perspective adds strong practical value to your learning experience. IESE also asks you to keep a daily “learning log” which aids in the preparation of meaningful and tangible take-home agendas.